Buick is an old, storied car brand, but one searching for an identity in the American market. It was long known as General Motors’ entry-level-luxury marque – a step more luxurious than Chevrolet but more affordable than higher-end Cadillac.
But that role has been muddled in recent years. In the third quarter of 2023, the average Buick buyer spent less than the average Chevrolet buyer.
The brand has an opportunity to reshape its murky identity, though, starting with a redesign of the Buick Enclave for 2025. Based on the same platform as the recently redesigned Chevy Traverse, the Enclave today is comfortable and roomy but otherwise fails to stand out in the luxury market. It’s also one of the older luxury 3-row SUV designs still on the road. It’s hard to make your mark doing what people are used to you doing.
But the Enclave is due for a complete redesign. Buick today teased the new look. Unfortunately, all we have to go on are sketches – which can sometimes imply more dramatic change than the eventual sheet metal version will show.
Wildcat-Inspired Look
But the sketches suggest something more distinctive than today’s Enclave. They seem to borrow lines from the Wildcat Concept – a design study Buick released to critical praise in 2022. A high beltline and big tires visually shrink its bulk. An angular nose gives it a sleeker look than anything in the lineup today.
The sketches also suggest it looks almost nothing like the Traverse, which has gone for a bulky, off-road-capable look in its most recent update. Differentiating the models could help Buick find the buyers it wants.
But we expect what’s under the skin to be similar – including the turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 315 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque in the Traverse.
We’ll likely know more before spring. Buick promises “more information and availability details coming soon.”
